BLACK DEATH

US, 1992, 92 minutes, Colour.
Kate Jackson, Howard Hesseman, Jerry Orbach, Jeffrey Nordling, Al Waxman.
Directed by Sheldon Larry.

Black Death is about black death and the possibility of an epidemic in New York City. Reference is made during the film to the outbreak of AIDS and the fact of so many people killed (from the perspective of the early 1990s).

The film is a television movie, with the usual array of characters, soap opera styles, but with a sense of urgency because of the subject matter and the threats to America's largest city. A single carrier gets the plague, begins to spread it on a plane, those with whom she came in contact get the plague and pass it on. The film shows those in charge of medicine and health in New York City trying to use their wits to combat the plague. They also have to cope with the mayor negotiating at the end of the garbage strike and the Democratic Convention coming within a week. The mayor and his advisers are reluctant to publicise the news and feel that the outbreak has been contained. However, a panicking newsman lets the public know and there is consequent panic.

The film was interesting in its detailed look at the plague, infection, its spread. It is also interesting on the means taken to combat the epidemic. And it is also interesting in its look at political stances. Kate Jackson is intrepid as the person in charge of the outbreak. Al Waxman is the mayor of New York City.

1. The popularity of this kind of disaster film? Epidemic? Handling, both medically and politically?

2. New York City, the streets, the hotels, the mayors' offices, hospitals and wards, the poorer areas? An overall view of the city?

3. The title, information about black death, historical, medical, the abilities to cope with it? The lack of preparation?

4. The opening, the young woman, her family, on the plane, her illness, the people around her? Her going home, the doorman, her being ill and taken to hospital? Anonymous, her dying? The detection to find out who she was, where she travelled, the plane list? The doctor meeting her parents and explaining the situation to them?

5. The diagnosis, the autopsy, the deaths of the medical team caring for her? Nora and her taking charge, Jake and his assistance (and his bluntness and naivety in coming from Indiana)? Nora telling her story, her husband's death through the mugging, their coming to New York, their medical studies, staying in the city? Jake, his enterprise, his impatience? The attraction towards working with Norah? Their working as a team?

6. The mayor, the garbage strike, the Democratic Convention? His chief adviser? The interview with Nora and with Dr Callafato? The adviser and his not being persuaded, the mayor following it? Decisions about information, the media? Containing the epidemic? Nora and her exasperation, her laying down the law to the mayor? The subsequent information in the papers, the mayor and his having to give press conference? The adviser, his coming to the hospital, his throwing his weight around, his attack from Nora, wanting to sue, the irony that he complaint to the journalist? His loss of job?

7. Nora and her ability to run her centre, her assistants, the contacts, going to the Hispanic home? The doctor and the discussion about the rats, collecting the rats - the explanation of carriers, the fleas? The looters and their attacking his van? The assistant going to the various homes, especially the Hispanic home? Her being infected and dying? Nora's grief?

8. Dr Callafato, his caution, finally believing Nora, going to the mayor, his collaboration?

9. Nyles and his partner having the plague, his being quarantined? His curiosity, his anger? The discussion about AIDS? His pretending to be a doctor, finding out the truth, getting them to look up the dictionary, his use of the word "plague" and panic? The angers at the headquarters, the change of tactic, his coming along, seeing everything and reporting it in the Village Voice? Nora and heroine? The deputy mayor as villain?

10. The development of the illness, the teacher and the class, the doorman and his family? The taking of the medicine to counteract? The senator, his deceit, his staying in with the woman, their both becoming ill? His eventually coming out, getting the taxi, getting on the train, the stopping of the train, the panic of the people, his running away, his collapse?

11. Protocols for the handling of an epidemic, the possibility of a city like New York containing it? Lack of medicine to counterbalance? The role of politicians, the media, the police, medical authorities?

12. The underlying human theme of the attraction between Nora and Jake - strong but subservient to the main plot of the epidemic?